If I buy an iPhone 13 in Japan, will it work in the States?

Wasabirolls wrote:

Thank you everyone for the replies. I don’t really care about warranty I only care about it actually working in the states.

Well then you should definitely feel free to order the iPhone in Japan because it will absolutely work with no problems in the United States.

As mentioned above, lack of mmWave 5G is the only other possible downside if that affects you.

This is incorrect. Apple's limited one year warranty provides global coverage. See here for details:

https://store.apple.com/Catalog/Images/worldwidewarranty.html

I have been living in Japan for almost 28 years now and have bought Apple products in both the USA and Japan and have had no problems getting warranty service.

AppleCare+ is also global coverage if you choose to purchase it.

I also have no problems with the shutter sound but the only possible downside I could see to you purchasing the iPhone 13 in Japan for use in the USA is that mmWave 5G bands are apparently limited to iPhones sold in the USA if that is an issue for you.

I preordered my iPhone 13 Pro Max here in Japan and look forward to its arrival.

Just wait until you move to the states and buy it here.

If you buy it in Japan, the warranty is only good there.

If you buy a Japanese model, you can't turn off the shutter sound when you take a picture.

It will likely work fine in the US. But it will have no warranty in the US as there is no International Warranty for iPhone.

I posted the link to Apple's One (1) Year Limited Warranty - Worldwide page above but here it is again in case you missed it.

If the product is portable, meaning that it can operate independently without a power cord, you may obtain warranty service worldwide. 

As for AppleCare+, global coverage is in the fine print per product agreement at Apple. This recent article at MacWorld also mentions it.

Is AppleCare+ only for U.S. customers?

No! Apple provides global coverage for most Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, iPod, Apple TV, and Apple displays). Service options do vary between countries, but any AppleCare service is always performed by authorized techs with genuine Apple parts.

I come in peace, not to prove anyone wrong.

Legally speaking, Apple has the right under their warranty agreement to ship an iPhone purchased in Japan and sent for service under the limited warranty in the USA back to the country of purchase and then charge the user for shipping. That does not mean they do so in actuality.

They also reserve the right to repair with local parts. I remember when Apple ended up needing to replace my US-purchased, Series 3 Apple Watch hoping they would do so with the Japanese version since the US model didn't have the chip used for Apple Pay here in Japan. No such luck, however because Apple Service in Tokyo had the US version in stock.

Apple's limited warranty service is internationally available and AppleCare+ is 100% global.

Apple only includes the may in the warranty because their lawyers insist on it and there may be minor service that can be completed. And your mention of Apple Service in Tokyo having the US version in stock is the exception not the rule. It does not take much of a search here or in your preferred search engine to find many, many posts where purchasers were not able to get their devices repaired/replaced in other countries. And AppleCare + is patently not global and not even available in all places where Apple does business because of various legality issues as well as currency exchange. But hey, if you want to keep believing that and taking the risk go for it.

Sorry, but again, you are NOT correct.

Here is Apples One Year Limited Warranty for iOS devices. And contained in it is the following:

IMPORTANT RESTRICTION FOR iPHONE, iPAD, APPLE TV and HOMEPOD SERVICE.

Apple may restrict warranty service for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and HomePod to the country where Apple or its Authorized Distributors originally sold the device.

Here's the full warranty and it is NOT Globally International as you suggest --> Legal - iOS Warranty Document Us - Apple

Buy International Version. it will work any country

Wasabirolls Said:

"iPhone 13: so I’m planning on buying the 13 and I have an 8. Here’s these question so I’m looking at buying the 13 here in Japan but I will be moving to the states soon.[...]"

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For Note:

The Shutter Sound: Keep in mind that the shutter sound (the sound you get when taking photos) will not be able to be shut off, if you purchase the iPhone in your location. So, wherever you use it, the shutter sound will always be enabled on the iPhone. So, maybe consider getting the in the U.S. to avoid this, if it matters to you (many prefer not to have the shutter sound due to privacy concerns).

I am NOT incorrect. Apple has NEVER offered a Global warranty on any iOS based device. NEVER. EVER.

You have been very lucky to have gotten warranty service. That doesn't mean others have been so lucky. Over the years we've seen many upset because their phone purchased in one country was denied service in another country.

It's great you've been lucky, but you cannot suggest that because you have been, we are wrong. We are not.

I think the problem is your apparent lack of understanding of the word, "may".

This is from the warranty page you linked to:

You may be responsible for shipping and handling charges if the Apple Product cannot be serviced in the country it is in.

There is no Apple product sold in Japan that cannot be serviced in the United States. This may apply if you buy an iPhone in Japan and move to Uzbekhistan.

I'm not going to argue with you. I've been on this forum for over a decade and I've seen post and after post after post from people truly upset they were denied warranty support on an iOS based device in a country other than the country the device was purchased in.

I'm done here.

Thank you for your comments.

I'm not discounting your years in these forums nor am I calling you a liar. I don't know what countries the "post after post" of users you speak of purchased their products in nor in what country they were seeking service for them.

I posted the relevant proof above that Apple's limited warranty is internationally available (with conditions).

The original poster to this thread was specifically asking about Japanese-purchased products and warranty support in the United States. I have 14 years of personal experience with products bought in one of those locations getting warranty service in the other.

There is no such thing as an International version.